


Across the Room

by FrozenMemories



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Episode: s06e04 The Face Behind the Glass, M/M, slightly canon divergent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:53:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27433099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenMemories/pseuds/FrozenMemories
Summary: Tumblr fic prompt: Mackson sharing a soft smile across a crowded room.Miller and Jackson attend the Naming Day party and Jackson lets his thoughts wander.
Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Echo (Background), Eric Jackson/Nathan Miller
Comments: 5
Kudos: 5





	Across the Room

Jackson stood somewhat stiffly near the doorway of the palace's main room, casting nervous eyes across the scenery before him. The last time he'd been to a party had been his graduation. And even then he'd merely stayed long enough to listen to his friend Malia's valedictorian speech, have exactly one cup of punch (feeling pleasantly buzzed afterwards) and watch with longing eyes as his crush Trevor sidled up behind his girlfriend for a dance that was more grinding than anything else.

Jackson had gone back to his quarters soon thereafter, concluding what he had known even without prior evidence - he wasn't a party guy.

But he was a different man now, and lived in a different world. Literally. Sanctum was so much more than they had expected, so much brighter and more vivid than the Ark had ever been.

He watched Jordan, tightly would around his conquest, keenly engaged in the pleasures of young love. The sight was almost enviable. Suddenly feeling like an intruder to the scene he let his eyes roam further, catching a glimpse of Clarke spinning around in her fancy dress, looking more carefree than he had ever seen her before. Again, he felt a bout of longing for that free spiritedness. Clarke was as tainted as the rest of them, still she seemed to manage just fine in turning a switch in her head and embracing this new beginning.

Jackson found himself warming at the thought though. Something about the atmosphere, the music, the strobe lights and the throng of people, was catching. His eyes cast over all the unfamiliar faces, looking so happy and relaxed. Yes, Jackson envied them a little for their way of living, for what they had found here, light-years from their former home planet, but in the same breath he let it spark hope in himself that maybe someday he could learn to become a bit more like them.

Across the room he caught sight of Nate, who had wandered away from him a while ago, in search for drinks and apparently gotten caught up in conversation with Bellamy before reaching his destination. Jackson watched from afar, letting his thoughts linger on his boyfriend.

They had been in a constant struggle between their feelings of excitement and hopefulness, and the dark shadows of guilt and grief, ever since they arrived in this strange new world. It seemed like finally, Nate was ready to let his guard down, if only a little, and allow himself some time to just liven up. In fact, Nate had been the one insisting Jackson gave this party a chance and Jackson was determined to indulge him, despite his remaining discomfort. There was nothing he wouldn’t do when Nate gave him _that look_.

Yet Nate had been the one to leave him standing there all by himself. Not that Jackson faulted him for it – Nate and Bellamy had a lot of catching up to do, while Jackson had been with him every single day for the past six years. Well, give or take a century and then some. Additionally, Jackson had caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a very strained exchange between Bellamy and Echo not too long ago; he figured Bellamy could probably do with a friend.

He just wished Nate had brought him back a drink before starting up that conversation, so that now he’d have something to clutch in his hand instead of just his own wrung fingers.

"This is new for you, too?"

He looked up in surprise to see Echo of all people coming up beside him.

He shrugged in reply, "I'm not a party person."

"I'm not a party people," Echo replied, "In fact that word is something I only learned from your people."

They stood silently for a while, each training their eyes on their partners, respectively, deeply engaged with each other across the room.

“He missed him,” Echo suddenly stated, startling Jackson out of his reverie, “He used to talk about him a lot.”

Her eyes were still on the two men in question but even from the side Jackson could see a sad and longing hue in them.

“Yeah,” he offered just loud enough to be heard above the music, “Nate missed him, too.”

As if sensing he was the topic of discussion, Nate suddenly looked up, eyes not having to search long to find Jackson's. He gave him an apologetic smile and waited until Jackson returned it before he looked back to Bellamy, their talk seemingly serious.

“Is everything alright between the two of you?” Jackson asked into another stretch of silence. He didn’t exactly consider Echo a friend but that didn’t stop him from caring, “It looked like you were arguing earlier.”

Echo scoffed and crossed her arms.

“Relationships,” she offered cryptically and then left it at that. Apparently she didn’t view him as a friend, either. Still, she remained standing by his side, watching until the objects of their attention hugged briefly, before Nate patted Bellamy's arm and stepped around him.

He cast another glance their way and smiled, holding Jackson’s eyes a moment longer this time, and then finally made his way over to the drinks. He poured two cups of a curious red liquid before sauntering over to where Jackson now stood alone, Echo having ventured off without much more than a scowl, as soon as it became apparent that Bellamy wasn’t going to follow his friend.

Jackson stood rooted though, held in place by Nate's glinting eyes, as he slowly but purposefully approached with a softening smile on his face.

The sight made Jackson's heart flutter. He felt like time stood still for a moment, the noise and movement of the crowd fading until nothing but one man remained. _His_ man.

"Sorry this took so long," Nate offered when he finally arrived, shoving one of the cups into Jackson's hand, "Are you enjoying the party so far?"

Jackson grinned, accepting the drink.

"The view is not too bad."


End file.
